Tskaltubo is the world capital of Soviet abandoned architecture — a spa town 15 minutes from Kutaisi where Stalin himself bathed in the radon springs, where the USSR built 22 sanatoriums and 6 bathhouses for 125,000 annual visitors and where the collapse of 1991 reduced that number to 1,000 overnight and left all of it frozen. Out of 22 Soviet sanatoriums, only ten are worth exploring because of their architecture or mosaics: Aia, Sakartvelo, Medea, Shakhtiori, Gelati, Tbilisi, Metalurgi, Tskaltubo Spa Resort, Imereti and Savane. As of 2025-26, Sanatorium Tbilisi is under active reconstruction (future Marriott), Iveria and Shakhtiori are fenced, and the pace of renovation is accelerating — visit Tskaltubo as soon as possible. Our Georgia Urbex Map covers all 20+ sites with current access status.
⚠️ Tskaltubo Access Warning 2025-26
As of 2025, some of the sanatoriums are back up for sale. Several have been cordoned off with proper fences in preparation for work. The reconstruction of Sanatorium Tbilisi has begun, and apparently it will reopen as a Marriott. Tskaltubo's days as an urbexer's paradise are numbered. Always verify access on arrival. Never cross new fencing. Respect IDP residents in occupied buildings absolutely.
1. Sanatorium Medea – Tskaltubo Central — Grandest Sanatorium, Stalinist Neoclassical, Ocean-Mosaic Pool, Fig Trees Through Marble Hall Floor, #1 Soviet Ruin on Earth (Known Location)
Sanatorium Medea is an impressive ruin of a Soviet-era spa, and once the grandest in the district of Tskaltubo in western Georgia. The pool is adorned with ocean-themed mosaics, and a beautiful fig tree grows within the space. Besides his regular bathhouse and room at the spa resort, Joseph Stalin is said to have also owned a summer residence, a dacha. On my visit there in 2019, we ran into an old lady who invited us for a cup of coffee and had a short conversation about life in the sanatorium. Medea is the crown jewel — the first stop for every Tskaltubo visitor. Walk from the main square.
🔗 Sources: WanderLush – Ultimate Guide Tskaltubo 2026 | Red Fedora Diary – Tskaltubo 2025
2. Sanatorium Meshakhte (Shakhtiori) – Tskaltubo — Miner's Sanatorium 1952, 350 Beds, Stalinist-Empire Style, Most Beautiful Ruins After Medea, ⚠️ Fenced 2023 (Known Location)
Shakhtiori, which translates as 'Miners', is one of the grandest and most renowned sanatoriums in Tskaltubo — a huge Stalinist-Empire style building dating from 1951, in its day a prestigious place to stay. Two of those sanatoriums (Iveria and Shakhtiori) are private property now and have a fence around them. As for 2023, you can't sneak in any of these two anymore. Meshakhte is now fenced — document the exterior facade, which remains one of the finest examples of Stalinist-Empire style architecture in the Caucasus, photographable from the public road. All GPS in our Georgia Urbex Map.
🔗 Also read: Top 5 Soviet Abandoned Buildings in Georgia →
3. Hotel Sakartvelo – Tskaltubo — Centrally Located, IDP-Occupied Partly, Mosaic Interior, Visible from Road Entering Tskaltubo from Kutaisi, Accessible Abandoned Sections
You can easily spot Hotel Sakartvelo from the road when entering Tskaltubo from Kutaisi. Next sanatoriums on my list — Hotel Sakartvelo and Hotel Medea — are where IDPs live so I didn't want to interrupt too much and only saw the abandoned parts of the buildings. These surely were impressive, especially at Medea with columns, inner yards and ponds. Hotel Sakartvelo, which is partly occupied by refugee families from the Abkhazia conflict. The abandoned sections of Sakartvelo — between the IDP-occupied residential floors — include a mosaic interior of significant quality. Always be respectful of residents. All GPS in our Georgia Urbex Map.
4. Sanatorium Metalurgi – Tskaltubo — Dense Forest Setting, Grand Gate Columns, Arched Glass Windows, Decorative Stonework, Built for Ferroalloy Workers, Best Preserved (Hidden on Our Map)
Metalurgi served as a retreat for the hardworking metal workers from the Ferroalloy Plant in Zestafoni. The sanatorium encircled with dense forest, used to have a grand gate entrance. The two columns of the gate remain at the entrance. The facade features arched glass windows and beautiful decorative stonework. Once you step inside, the grandeur of this once-popular recreational spot greets you instantly. Metalurgi's forest enclosure — the dense subtropical growth pressing against the arched windows — creates a visual atmosphere distinct from the more central sanatoriums. GPS in our Georgia Urbex Map.
5. Tskaltubo Abandoned Train Station – Tskaltubo — Built for Soviet Sanatorium Visitors, Stalinist Station Building, Platforms Overgrown, Track Running into Silence (On Our Map Only)
Depart from Kutaisi and begin at the abandoned Tskaltubo train station, an impressive relic of the town's Soviet-era infrastructure. The Tskaltubo train station — built to receive the hundreds of thousands of Soviet visitors who arrived by rail each year — stands at the entrance of the sanatorium town as a perfectly preserved Soviet railway time capsule: the Stalinist neoclassical station building, the platforms overgrown with subtropical vegetation and the track running into silence past the derelict sanatorium facades. The station is the ideal starting point for a full Tskaltubo urbex day. GPS in our Georgia Urbex Map.
❓ FAQ
How many sanatoriums are there in Tskaltubo?
22 sanatoriums and 6 bathhouses at Soviet peak. Of these, the ten most worth visiting for architecture or mosaics are Aia, Sakartvelo, Medea, Shakhtiori, Gelati, Tbilisi, Metalurgi, Tskaltubo Spa Resort, Imereti and Savane. As of 2025, Sanatorium Tbilisi is under reconstruction, Iveria and Shakhtiori are fenced. Our Georgia Urbex Map includes current access status for all 20+ sites.
How long does it take to visit Tskaltubo?
One full day is enough to see several sanatoriums that are must-visits. However, fitting everything in one day will exhaust you. You'd need a day and a half or two full days to see everything. Most experienced explorers recommend two full days in Tskaltubo — staying overnight at the Legends Tskaltubo Spa Resort (a restored former military sanatorium) or in Kutaisi.
How do I get from Tbilisi to Tskaltubo?
Train or marshrutka from Tbilisi to Kutaisi (2.5–3 hours), then taxi or marshrutka from Kutaisi to Tskaltubo (15 minutes, 5-8 GEL). Direct marshrutka from Tbilisi to Kutaisi depart from the Didube bus station. The total journey from Tbilisi door-to-door is approximately 3.5 hours.
Safety Tips
- New fencing in 2025-26: always verify access on arrival at every sanatorium — renovation is accelerating; Meshakhte and Iveria are now fenced; Tbilisi is under active reconstruction; never cross new barriers
- IDP residents: Hotel Sakartvelo, Hotel Tbilisi and Sanatorium Metallurgi house IDP families from Abkhazia — treat all occupied sections with absolute respect; leave immediately if asked
- Radon springs: Tskaltubo's natural radon springs seep in some bathhouse floors — do not drink or immerse yourself in any standing water in abandoned buildings
- Never explore alone — always bring at least one other person; Georgia emergency: 112
Georgia Urbex Map — Updated Access Status
- ✓ All 20+ Tskaltubo sites with current fencing and IDP status
- ✓ Medea, Metalurgi, Sakartvelo, train station + 16 more
- ✓ Instant download after purchase
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